Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.3 4.3bsd-beta 6/6/85; site decwrl.DEC.COM Path: utzoo!lsuc!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!bellcore!decvax!decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-bach!mahoney From: mahoney@bach.DEC Newsgroups: net.politics Subject: The use of nonviolence. Message-ID: <566@decwrl.DEC.COM> Date: Sun, 19-Jan-86 14:18:43 EST Article-I.D.: decwrl.566 Posted: Sun Jan 19 14:18:43 1986 Date-Received: Tue, 21-Jan-86 19:46:44 EST Sender: daemon@decwrl.DEC.COM Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation Lines: 38 ---------------------Reply to mail dated 16-JAN-1986 19:37--------------------- Mr Sevener I agree in the use of civil disobedience. Two of my heroes happen to be Martin Luther King and Gahndi but I have a serious question that I do not know the answer. How do you fight a government that does not mind killing people? The British for the most part where civilised an where not going to wipe out the population or even try to. The allowed constraints on themselves and thus had "weaknesses" that could be used against them. The same in the US with the civil rights movement the violence got bad and some people did die but the government did not openly condone it. The courts also did there best to stop such violence. What about regimes where that is not true. Germany where they wiped out 6 million people. Stalin's Russia where an estimated 20 million people died. Mao's China where I have read an estimated 30 million people died. Lets look at Pol's Pot Regime in Cambodia where 3 million (?) people died. These people had no problem with killing any number of people who got in there way. These people did not care about world opinion and would have saw civil disobedience as a weakness and as easy targets to kill. How would you have stopped Idi Amin and his gang of thugs these are not easy questions. I don't have the answer and am looking for them. Could you give me your insight into this. Anyone else feel free to also comment as I am sure you will :-). I have turned from violence as best I could through my life and continue to do so. I wonder sometimes if it is always the best way. Until I feel differently I will continue to turn from violence for I see no better solution. Brian Mahoney mahoney%bach.dec@decwrl.arpa "If someone has a cure all you can be sure it will make you sick."